God had a good reason
for providing clothing for Adam and Eve after the apple episode in the
Garden of Eden.
“He knew that in a
sin-filled world, a bikini of fig leaves would not be enough to cover a
woman’s body or a man’s eyes,” said Linda Bartlett, founder of Titus 2 for
Life. The organization is a Biblical, pro-life mentoring organization.
Bartlett shared her
thoughts with around 575 females who attended “Dressing for Life: Secrets of
the Great Cover-up” on Sunday at the DeVent Center in Norfolk. The Norfolk
Area Lutherans For Life sponsored the program.
“Sin changed everything
for man and woman. Adam and Eve realized they were naked . . . and they
were ashamed.”
However, before sending
them from the Garden, God provided them with clothing made of animal hide
that was much more modest than the fig leaves they chose for themselves.
The first clothes were
designed by God . . . to protect people from a sinful world,” she said.
During the program,
which included a show of fashions from the 1860s to about 2000, Bartlett
explained that clothing styles often dictate – or reflect the sense of
morality of the time.
For instance, 150 years
ago, women wore long dresses or skirts and rarely showed any bare skin in
public. It was also a time when most women behaved modestly by avoiding
intimacy with a man until they were married.
Those values and
attitudes changed as clothing styles changed. By the 1920s and 1930s, women
were wearing shorter, tighter clothing. They were also drinking alcohol and
smoking in public . . .
The free-love revolution
of the 1960s was reflected in the mini-skirts, Hippie and flower child
dresses.
“The philosophy was do
what you want and wear what you want,” Bartlett said. That attitude,
Bartlett added, led to the widespread use of drugs, alcohol, and sex with
multiple partners, which ultimately led to an unprecedented number of
abortions.
The clothing styles –
and the attitudes – haven’t changed much. Now, Bartlett said, advertisers
are using bikini-clad entertainers to sell products and people are still
being told that tight and skimpy clothing is OK.
But is it?
“God wants us to be
modest and to bring attention to Him . . . not ourselves,” she said.
To counter the trends,
Bartlett encouraged the audience to let clothing makers and stores know how
they feel and not to let the “culture shape our lifestyles.”
“Is sexy clothing
pleasing to God?” she asked. “We have to be careful about what we choose.”
